Steele to face trial

LAKE COUNTY &GT;&GT; A Lake County judge ruled Thursday that there was enough evidence and a reasonable suspicion for a man accused of shooting at two police officers during a traffic stop and causing the death of one of his passengers to face trial on 18 out of 20 counts.

William Edward Steele originally faced 17 counts, but an amended complaint approved Wednesday added three more.

Retired Judge Robert L. Crone dismissed two counts, a felony count of killing Jeremy John while committing three vehicle code violations and the killing being done as a result of committing a crime as well a misdemeanor count of failing to register as a controlled substance offender.

Crone said there was not enough evidence to hold Steele accountable for those charges in trail, primarily the felony count. He said there was no evidence demonstrating that Steele was under the influence of drugs or alcohol while the alleged killing was committed. Steele is set to face 18 counts in trial, including the murder of Jeremy John, the attempted murders of California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers Shane Roach and Glen Thomas, assault with a firearm on the officers and the holding Davina Delgadillo, a passenger in the vehicle during the shootings with the officers, against her will. He also faces several special allegations stemming from the 18 charges and several previous convictions.

The prosecution, led by Deputy District Attorney Art Grothe, alleges John died after being forced by the alleged shootouts between Steele and the CHP officers to jump out of Steele's lifted SUV while the SUV was still in motion.

According to the testimony of Dr. Mahmoud Rashidi Naimabadi, who treated John at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital following the incident, John died of a brain injury caused by blunt force trauma. Rashidi Naimabadi also said he could not testify to what caused the blunt force trauma.

Defense Attorney Patrick Pekin challenged the allegations that the injury was caused when John's head hit the ground after he jumped out of the SUV. He argued John could have been hit by a vehicle, but that argument was not confirmed or dismissed by testimony.

Officers Roach and Glen testified Wednesday that they found Thomas injured in the middle of the roadway.

The prosecution also contends that Steele held Delgadillo against her will when he did not stop quickly to let her out of the vehicle when she asked. Delgadillo testified that she begged Steele to let her out of the SUV until he eventually did.

Cody Potter, also a passenger and witness, testified that Delgadillo asked several times very quickly to be let out and that Steele stopped and let her out soon after.

Throughout the hearing Wednesday and Thursday, Pekin's strategy, and what may continue to be a strategy during trial, seemed to be attacking the credibility of the two crucial witnesses, Potter and Delgadillo.

Pekin challenged Delgadillo's testimony after admitting in court that she was not truthful with investigators in the weeks following the incident. Delgadillo reportedly originally denied involvement with the shooting and later denied knowing who Potter was. She said in court she lied because she was overwhelmed by the situation and didn't want anyone to get in trouble, but Pekin argued her statements seemed calculated.

He also challenged that Potter, who in his testimony did not seem sure of the timeline leading to the shootings, testified he did not consume drugs or alcohol in the leading hours. Delgadillo later testified Potter used methamphetamine and consumed alcohol that night.

Pekin also brought forward that Potter left California for Oregon following the incident.

Potter reportedly returned to Lake County after Delgadillo notified him the Lake County District Attorney's Office wanted to talk to him.

Potter also testified that, after jumping out of Steele's SUV, he slept in a ditch for roughly five hours and later contacted Harry and Dorothy DeLope, an elderly couple that let him use the phone and wait for a ride at their home. While with the DeLopes, Potter avoided talking about the shooting, Harry DeLope said in court. He was later given a ride by Dorothy DeLope to meet the person who would pick him up, and he avoided contact with police when they drove through police presence in the area of the crime scene.

Despite the challenges, the core information concurring in the testimonies of Delgadillo, Potter and officers Roach and Thomas were enough for Judge Crone to find reasonable suspicion and hold Steele to answer to 18 charges in trial.

Steele, who is in custody at the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility, is set to appear in court on arraignment of information on July 15.